HISTORY OF VETERANS BENEFITS
President Herbert Hoover, on July 21, 1930, by Executive Order 5398, created the Veterans Administration. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s’ Readjustment Act of 1944 offering home loans and educational benefits to veterans.
The Department of Medicine & Surgery was established in 1946, succeeded in 1989 by the Veterans' Health Services and Research Administration, renamed the Veterans' Health Administration in 1991. The Department of Veterans' Benefits was established in 1953, succeeded in 1989 by the Veterans' Benefits Administration. President Ronald Reagan signed legislation in 1988 to elevate the Veterans' Administration to Cabinet status and on March 15, 1989 the Veterans' Administration became the 14th Department in the Presidents' Cabinet.
President Lyndon B. Johnson stated, "Our government and our people have no greater obligation than to assure that those who have served their country and the cause of freedom will never be forgotten or neglected."
The Department of Veterans' Affairs operates programs to benefit Veterans and their families; Benefits include Compensation payments for disabilities or death related to military services; pensions; educational and rehabilitation; home loan guaranty; burial and a medical care program incorporating nursing homes, clinics and medical centers.
Presidents of both major political parties have asked Congress to provide benefits to Veterans and Congress passed the legislation.
"Qualified Veterans" was defined as those persons who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and after completing that service, were honorably discharged.
If it had been the intent to deny Veterans' benefits there would have been no reason to pass that legislation. Where did these people, with their high-paying salaries, come from with their intent to deny Veterans' benefits, unless they were paupers or came out of service on crutches? Why are these people intent on dismantling Veterans' hospitals and providing only clinical care to some Veterans? Why do we have so many sick and disabled homeless Veterans living on the streets in our country?
Elderly married Veterans have had almost one hundred dollars deducted from their monthly Social Security checks, for Medicare, but unlike other senior citizens, they can't apply their Medicare towards their medical costs in a VA clinic.
Disabled Veterans need our help. Call your representative in Congress.
If you too are concerned about these issues, please forward this information to other members. If you have a website, please and post a link to:
